Uses

Cobalt Uses

Cobalt is a versatile element used across numerous industries, with key applications in battery technology, aerospace, medical devices, magnets, pigments, and several emerging technologies[1].

  • Batteries: Cobalt is essential in lithium-ion batteries, powering smartphones, electric vehicles, and energy storage systems due to its role in enhancing stability and conductivity[1][2][5][7].
  • Superalloys and High-Temperature Applications: Cobalt-based superalloys offer strength and resistance to extreme temperatures, making them integral to aerospace components like jet engines and gas turbines[1][2][5][6].
  • Medical and Dental Uses: Alloys of cobalt and chromium provide biocompatibility and durability for orthopedic implants and dental prosthetics, while radioactive cobalt isotopes are used in cancer treatment. Cobalt is also a core component of vitamin B12[1][2][5][6][8].
  • Magnets: Cobalt strengthens permanent magnets, such as samarium-cobalt types, used in electric motors, wind turbines, high-end audio equipment, and various aerospace applications[1][5][8].
  • Pigments and Coatings: Cobalt salts have long been used to produce vibrant blue pigments for ceramics, glass, paint, and enamels, and the metal enhances corrosion resistance in coatings[1][3][8].
  • Hard Alloys and Tooling: Cobalt is a crucial binder in hard alloys like cemented carbides, which are widely used for cutting tools, mining equipment, and wear-resistant parts[3][5][8].
  • Catalysts: Cobalt compounds serve as catalysts in petrochemical industries, automotive catalytic converters, and the production of adhesives and rubber[2][3][4].
  • Other Uses: Cobalt plays a role in agriculture and animal nutrition, contributes to tire manufacturing for improved rubber adhesion, and is utilized in 3D printing, renewable energy technologies, and electronics[1][2][7][8].

References

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